Racine---A big push is underway behind the scenes to secure state funding to enable hundreds of children from low-income families in Racine Unified to attend four year-old kindergarten that's full-time.
Community leaders and local legislators are working to advance a proposed pilot program that would divert Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy money to RUSD to fund the placement of 250 four year-olds into full-day programs this fall, and another 500 the year after, according to Jeff Neubauer, Executive Director of "Higher Expectations for Racine County Youth," a non-profit that acts as a community support group. The state currently helps fund half-day programs, but not day-long ones.
The pilot program is said to have the support of Gov. Walker. Local legislators are expected to work to include the measure into the state's biennial budget bill as it moves through the process this spring.
Four and three year-old kindergarten that's full-time is shown to have a dramatic impact in boosting the number of children who are deemed “kindergarten ready.” Researchers believe kindergarten readiness is a strong predictor of future academic success. "The bottom line is if you're not kindergarten ready you never catch up," says Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave. "That's what the data points tells us," he said on a recent edition of WGTD's Community Matters.
Neubauer, a former state representative, is leading the charge on the issue."This is a very important step for us to improve the readiness of children for kindergarten...particularly for children from more challenging backgrounds," Neubauer said in a phone interview. "This is a major part of our work."
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